Most people focus on California being "liberal". When it comes to many things the deeper issue is disfunction and corruption as well.
You have political forces pushing against building new water storage and allowing more water to go to sea. The consequence is more ground pumping.
The number of new wells drilled in the last ten years around my area is insane. The smart farmers know it is just a matter of time until the state stops the new drilling of wells. Restricting pumping is next.
These local water district guys have been predicting this for years and buying land in the valley to build reservoirs to resupply the ground water acquifers.
There are just so many conflicts and governance action that produces bad incentives. We have had good rain years and water tables are up but droughts are a natural part of the climate cycles here. Have been for centuries. The population of the state and the farming can't grow without changes.
I agree. Cheap energy is something that makes many things easier. Most of the state has been in denial about energy. Believing solar and wind are enough. It's not. Nuclear is the best hope for California.
They still haven't given up on shutting down the existing plants but they keep delaying it. It will never happen. My question is how much longer will they delay building new plants.
Most people focus on California being "liberal". When it comes to many things the deeper issue is disfunction and corruption as well.
You have political forces pushing against building new water storage and allowing more water to go to sea. The consequence is more ground pumping.
The number of new wells drilled in the last ten years around my area is insane. The smart farmers know it is just a matter of time until the state stops the new drilling of wells. Restricting pumping is next.
These local water district guys have been predicting this for years and buying land in the valley to build reservoirs to resupply the ground water acquifers.
There are just so many conflicts and governance action that produces bad incentives. We have had good rain years and water tables are up but droughts are a natural part of the climate cycles here. Have been for centuries. The population of the state and the farming can't grow without changes.
I agree. Cheap energy is something that makes many things easier. Most of the state has been in denial about energy. Believing solar and wind are enough. It's not. Nuclear is the best hope for California.
They still haven't given up on shutting down the existing plants but they keep delaying it. It will never happen. My question is how much longer will they delay building new plants.